Jesus Revealed Pt. 10 - I AM!Sample

The testimony of John bears fruit  

Thoughts on the Passage

How powerful is a ministry that does not have miracles associated with it?

One of the great challenges for many people is whether God needs to do a miracle through us in order for us to be effective. The answer is no. John the Baptist never did any miracle. Still, he had a profound ministry and did powerful things. He did it through his teaching and ministry. Here, we see Jesus coming back to an area where John did his ministry and it resulted in many people following Jesus.

How powerful is just faithfully pointing to Jesus?

Today, we read two passages where people just faithfully pointed to Jesus. Their lives were so changed by Jesus that people took notice. They got interested in Jesus because they saw the changed lives and knew that is what they wanted. They take time to look at who Jesus really is, and realize Jesus is everything they want. This is where most of us are. Our testimony may not have a lot of special things, but it points faithfully to Jesus. That has a huge impact.

How important is a location – a place where people meet Jesus, a place of "open heavens"? 

There are times when a place has special meaning. It has touched people in the past and God continues to make it a special place of blessing. People were blessed by John the Baptist here, and now Jesus comes back to this place and blesses people again. They received the message of John here and they now receive the message of Jesus here. We call this a place of “open heavens” – a place where God’s blessing flows again and again. These are special places.

Where are some of these places?

Many go to places where Jesus did special things and get blessed there (Jerusalem, Bethlehem, etc). Sometimes, these places are where God touched us in our past, and every time we go back there we get blessed again and again. If you have such a place, it is worth going back to just wait on God to show up… again.

Application

Do I see an effective witness for Jesus requiring God to do some miracle? Do I see being faithful to God, and pointing people to Jesus as being powerful and effective? God does. Take time today and ask God to help you be faithful in pointing people to Jesus. When people see Jesus, that is when transformation happens.

Time to Pray

Father, it is so easy to think that I need a miracle in my testimony to make me an effective witness of Jesus. Miracles may  help, but a changed life is what You ask of me—pointing people to Jesus to let them see in me what Jesus can do. Too often, my life does not show the power of God to change me – and so people have no desire to look to Jesus. Father, point out the things in my life that stop people –that prevent people–from looking to Jesus. Is it anger, inconsistency, a lack of gentleness and forgiveness, compassion for hurting people? Father, I want it to change so people will see… and look to Jesus where they can get what they need.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.